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In the Community to Serve

In the Community to Serve

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Montana-Dakota Utilities is in the community to serve. Beyond providing safe and reliable energy service, MDU seeks to meet the needs of our communities through financial and time resources. Our employees are the backbone of this commitment as they selflessly serve our friends and neighbors.

Montana-Dakota Utilities provides additional community resources through energy assistance programs, energy efficiency programs, and safety information.

Click below for more information on specific organizations we support.

Therapeutic Riding for Heart and Soul (TR 4 Heart and Soul)

TR 4 Heart and Soul is offering therapeutic riding classes that focus on a broad range and combination of disabilities along with alternative physical and emotional hardships. These sessions fall under the general term “therapeutic riding” but each class will have specific goals and measurable objectives depending on the physical, cognitive, social, and horsemanship skills of our riders.

MDU has been a proud sponsor of TR 4 Heart and Soul since 2019. Employees serve the organization through fundraising and volunteering at annual events (Blue Jeans and Black Tie Affair, Salsa Contest, and Holiday Parties).

Learn more about TR 4 Heart and Soul by clicking here.

Tough Enough to Wear Pink

Tough Enough to Wear Pink provides a nationally-recognized campaign and framework for rodeos and western events to help them promote breast cancer awareness and fundraising to benefit their local communities.

Employees at our MDU Rapid City office have participated in Tough Enough to Wear Pink since 2016 and has conducted a donation match for the local John T Vucurevich Cancer Care Institute through Monument Health.

tough enough to wear pink

Back Row: Jeremy Lowe, Gas Fitter Operator, Rapid City District; Henry McIntosh, Working Lead-Gas, Rapid City District; Darin Esser, Working Lead-Gas, Rapid City District; Darwin Heying, Working Lead-Gas, Rapid City District;
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Front Row: Katie Good, Sr. Energy Services Rep for Energy Services; Kayla Schroeder, Sr Operations Assistant for Construction Services; George Brown, Gas Fitter Operator, Rapid City District; Kris Mitzel, Distribution Welder, Rapid City District

Learn more about Tough Enough to Wear Pink by clicking here.

United Way Day of Caring

MDU Black Hills region has been a sponsor of the United Way Day of Caring in the Black Hills for 22+ years. Employees choose the Day of Caring location and do projects for the local Club for Boys.

united way day of caring club for boys

Back Row: Zachary Sowards, Engineer III for Engineering Services; Kris James, Engineer III for System Integrity; Katie Good, Sr. Energy Services Rep for Energy Services; Darin Esser, Working Lead-Gas for Rapid City District; Henry McIntosh, Working Lead-Gas for Rapid City District; Kevin Bad Wound, Service Technician-Gas for Rapid City District; Back Row: Kayla Schroeder, Sr Operations Assistant for Construction Services; Nate Houchin, Gas Fitter Operator for Rapid City District.

 

united way day of caring club for boys

Learn more about United Way of the Black Hills by clicking here.

Learn more about the Club for Boys by clicking here.

Ronald McDonald House Charities

MDU Resources Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, Anne Jones, served on the Board of Directors for the Ronald McDonald House Charities in Bismarck and continues to provide support.

Learn more about Ronald McDonald House Charities of Bismarck by clicking here.

Mandan Youth Wrestling Club

The clubs mission statement is “To give every wrestler the opportunity to learn, to achieve, and go as far as their talents, abilities, and determination will allow them”.  The Mandan Wrestling Club is a nonprofit organization that provided opportunities for youth (Boys & Girls) from 5yrs of age through High School to stay active, train and compete in the sport of wrestling outside of the normal school athletics programs intended for middle and high school aged youth.

Montana-Dakota Utilities Field Operations Supervisor, Ben Zachmeier, has been a volunteer coach with the Mandan Wrestling Club since 2016 and was elected to the Board of Directors in 2017.

mandan youth wrestling club

MDU is proud to sponsor the Mandan Wrestling Club with resources for tournaments.

Learn more about the Mandan Wrestling Club by clicking here.

Pink It Forward

Pink It Forward is a non-profit that MDU Safety & technical Training Supervisor, RueAnn Gallagher, and 3 of her family members started 9 years ago to send care packages (free of charge) to those going through treatments or surgeries related to breast cancer.  The Gallagher family has dealt with breast cancer first-hand and they wanted to give back to those going through the same things they had been through.

MDU is a hole sponsor at the Pink It Forward Glow-in-the-Dark Golf Event when the event is held.

MDU also supports Pink It Forward through employees volunteering their time to help out at other events, such as Designer Purse Bingo, and helping with printing projects.

Learn more about Pink It Forward and how to get involved by clicking here.

Abused Adult Resource Center | Hope for the Holiday Campaign

MDU has been participating in the Hope for the Holiday campaign since 2005. Departments across the company adopt families of domestic violence. This often includes families that have left their homes with little or nothing. Families provide Christmas wish lists which often include daily essentials of living such as paper products, cleaning supplies, clothes and also some wish items for their children such as games and bikes.

MDU Customer Systems Manager, Sonya Wald, has served as leader/coordinator of the campaign since 2013. Sonya has been able to grow this program and MDU’s involvement each year with 2021 being the largest year so far. MDU/MDUR had 41 departments across the organization participate; sponsoring 67 families consisting of 162 individual people.

abused adult resource center hope for the holidayabused adult resource center hope for the holidayabused adult resource center hope for the holiday

Learn more about the Abused Adult Resource Center and the Hope for the Holiday Campaign by clicking here.

Elevate Rapid City

Established in 2019, merging the Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development organizations, Elevate Rapid City leads the economic development and small business efforts in the Black Hills region.

MDU has been a sponsor of Elevate Rapid City since 2019. MDU Region Director, Brandon Lance, serves on the Executive Board of Directors and has done so since 2020.

Learn more about Elevate Rapid City by clicking here.

Western ND Honor Flight

Western North Dakota Honor Flight is a non-profit organization created solely to honor America’s veterans for all their sacrifices. We transport our heroes to Washington, D.C. to visit and reflect at their memorials. Top priority is given to the senior veterans – World War II and Korean War survivors, along with those other veterans who may be terminally ill.

MDU is a direct supporter of Western ND Honor Flight through printing services and employee volunteers.

Learn more about Western ND Honor Flight by clicking here.

Touch a Truck | Mandan

Touch A Truck offers children an up-close, hands-on opportunity to explore heavy machinery, safety vehicles, and other cool trucks, as well as ask questions of the people who operate these machines.

Each year, MDU provides a utility truck for this event so kids young and old can learn more about the energy industry, and what it takes to keep energy delivery safe and reliable.

mdu touch a truck mandan

Learn more about Touch a Truck Mandan by clicking here.

Mondak Animal Rescue

The Mondak Animal Rescue, Inc. is a non-profit corporation dedicated to the promotion of animal welfare. The purpose of the society is the…

  • Prevention of cruelty to animals.
  • Reduction of animal overpopulation through the prevention of unwanted births.
  • Promotion of an aggressive adoption program which will seek suitable homes for animals without owners.
  • Extension of humane education for the public.

MDU supports Mondak Animal Rescue through employee volunteers at annual events including supplying the company grill at all outdoor events.

MDU Senior Energy Services Representative, Lisa Patton, serves on the Board of Directors for Mondak Animal Rescue.

To learn more about Mondak Animal Rescue click here.

in the community to serve

MDU Resources Foundation

Our corporate headquarters, MDU Resources Group, is committed to supporting the communities in which its businesses operate. The corporation believes its success is directly related to a healthy social and economic environment. Through the MDU Resources Foundation, the corporation can share its success and help its neighbors make the communities better places to live and work. The foundation was incorporated in 1983. MDU Resources is proud of its record of supporting qualified organizations and is hopeful the foundation’s efforts will continue to have a positive impact.For more information regarding the MDU Resources Foundation, contact Rita O’Neill at MDU Resources.

Environmental Community Opportunity (ECO) Fund

Environmental stewardship is a part of Montana-Dakota’s mission and daily life and our commitment to the communities we serve is taken seriously. As part of our continued environmental commitment, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. has established the ECO Fund to support projects that enhance environmental education and stewardship in the communities we serve.

Environmental education projects may include grants for teacher training, books or equipment for classroom use, field trips or special project support in the natural or physical sciences.

Community environmental stewardship projects may include such things as nature trail development, wildlife area enhancement, recycling and community cleanup promotion, or the development of “living laboratories” for the use of students and the general public.

Some limitations apply. See the ECO Fund Brochure for details of the program and the ECO Fund Grant Application Form.

2022 ECO Grant Awardees

More than 60 students representing 10 North Dakota schools participated in the 22nd annual ND Envirothon in early May at Crystal Springs Camp near Jamestown, North Dakota.

The event was funded in part by an Environmental Community Opportunity grant from Montana-Dakota Utilities.

Students completed four trail tests in the areas of wildlife, aquatics, prairie/forestry, and soils. The top three teams competed in the final round of presentations in front of a panel of five judges and other teams, advisors, and volunteers.

Students also heard two presentations from Kathy Froelich, a Sahnish Elder who talked about wild plants, the importance of knowing your cultural background and nature.

2022 eco grant awardees
2022 eco grant awardees